


Shelter me

by Bill_Longbow



Category: Iron Man (Comic), Marvel 616
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Homelessness, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2017-10-04
Packaged: 2019-01-08 23:48:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12264543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bill_Longbow/pseuds/Bill_Longbow
Summary: For the key exchange of the discord winteriron server MassiveSpaceWren gave me this prompt:Secret identities





	Shelter me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MassiveSpaceWren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MassiveSpaceWren/gifts).



> Thanks to the lovely Juulna for beta-ing and teaching me about different types of snow!
> 
>  
> 
> Comments are always welcome!

The best way to stay hidden was in plain sight, to become just one of the innumerable faceless hobos the city was rich with. Therefore he had he to act like 'just another homeless guy', which was why he was lying in a corner of the shelter's cramped dining space, recently converted to a sleeping area because of the coming blizzard.  
  
He'd much rather stay outside. The training he had received made it nearly impossible for him to let his guard down enough to fall asleep amongst others.  
  
Finally, _finally_ he had been exhausted enough to nearly drop off, just enough to rest, but aware still, always _aware_ , but then some drunken asshole had arrived, making a big enough scene to upset everyone in the vicinity. A few attendants came over to try and shush the drunk, but that had only made him become even louder.  
  
Grumbling, James buried deeper into the sleeping bag he’d been issued, cursing his stupid super hearing, and the blasted weather, and the idiot drunk.  
  
Oh no, it seemed they had finally managed to get him to calm down and now the fucker was coming _his_ way. He turned towards the wall, not wanting to see the man after being sick of hearing him.  
  
Even lying down the drunk just wouldn't shut his yap. He was slurring his words a little, but James could make out some things like "outrage" and "just kids" and "fucking disgrace".  
  
James turned to the hobo who was muttering with his eyes closed. "Will you just shut the fuck up?"  
  
He was met by an intense blue stare, much too clear for someone as drunk as him. The hobo grinned his dirty teeth at James. "Disturb your beauty sleep, did I?"  
  
The smell of alcohol was so powerful that James had to suppress a gag. Pulling up his scarf over his face he huffed and turned back to the wall. What an asshole.  
  
It didn't deter the other man, however. He carried on a little louder. "There's kids trapped nearby. Couldn't carry'em. With the suit I could! Damn right, I could. But now, nah."  
  
A pause, long enough for James to hope the drunkard had passed out. But no, he started poking James in the shoulder.  
  
Angry, he turned around again. "What?!"  
  
"Hey, shut up over there!" someone on the other side of the drunk yelled.  
  
"Mea culpa," Blue Eyes yelled back, muttering "mea maxima culpa," after it.  
  
He flashed James one of the saddest smiles he had seen since regaining some sense of self. "Didn't have to ask for anything, you know? People just did what I told them, before..."  
  
James rolled his eyes; did he look like a bartender waiting for a sob story? "Just go to sleep, buddy." He provided a good example by firmly closing his eyes.  
  
The wretch huffed a laugh and scratched at his beard. "M’not nearly drunk enough for that."  
  
Another long pause and James didn't move a muscle for fear of urging the man to speak again.  
  
To no avail, apparently. “Besides, I could never sleep with the idea of those kids nearby. Stupid fuckers refused to go get them."  
  
James sighed. He wasn't going to get any sleep today, that much was clear. He opened his eyes again.  "What kids?"  
  
That startled the drunk. "Suddenly you care, sleeping beauty?" A rub at the dirty face. James supposed he could be called handsome, if he weren’t so dirty, or so gaunt. 

"’Course I care about kids -- who wouldn't? James shot back.  
  
"Apparently _these assholes_ !" The hobo yelled over his shoulder.  
  
He had spirit, James had to give him that.  
  
"That's it! You're leaving now." A bulky man stood up and began to make his way between the sleeping forms towards them.  
  
James quickly made his decision. He jumped up, discarding his sleeping bag, picked up his backpack and pulled on the drunk man's arm. "Come on, buddy, let's go get them together." He really wasn’t in any mood for a fight; he wanted to stay as low key as possible, but he knew he wouldn't stand by if the drunk was attacked.  
  
He pulled hard enough to get the man to stand. "Woah, easy fella, gotta wine and dine me first," the drunkard leered.  
  
James didn't react and just pulled the other along, keeping to the wall and away from the troublemaker. Soon they were near the door and James gave the other man one of his spare scarves. He protested, but James just wrapped the thing around his neck and patted him on the back.  
  
"You're good to go, buddy, show me where these kids are. I know of a shelter that's less rough than this one."  
  
He didn't know why, but he felt compelled to add, "Name's James by the way."  
  
The hobo gave him a calculating glance, then stuck out his hand. "Tony." After that, he turned around and made his way outside.  
  
It was rough going. The blizzard wasn't yet at its peak, but the winds already were strong enough to severely hamper their progress, as well as douse them in ice-cold sleet.  
  
After what seemed like hours, but in reality probably wasn't more than twenty minutes, Tony stopped at a derelict building which was barely clinging to its larger neighbours. The windows were boarded up, and James could see the roof caving in at the corner.  He was sure the entire thing would come down soon.  
  
Tony was already at the door, talking quietly until it swung open. They quickly stepped inside and James' heart clenched at the sight that met them. A girl, he guessed about eight or nine years old, sat huddled protectively around three smaller children, a baby and two toddlers. They were dirty and much too skinny, and there was no way for them to make it to a decent shelter on their own.  
  
"They can't stay here, Tony." It was cold enough inside for their breath to come out as clouds, and James was really concerned about the roof.  
  
The other man shot an irritated glance at him. "No shit, Einstein. But how are we supposed to accomplish that? They can't walk." He pointed at the girl, who didn't have any shoes.  
  
While Tony sat on his haunches and tried to comfort the kids, speaking in hushed tones, James rummaged through his backpack. He had a few spare clothes, that he intended to wrap around the kids. Tony quickly caught on and helped with covering the little ones.  
  
"I can carry the girl and one of the boys, are you okay with the baby and the other kid?” James spoke as he pulled off his scarves.  
  
"Yes." Tony sounded determined and confident, like failure was not a thing he was accustomed to. James looked over to see the other man standing tall, taller than him, actually, when he didn't hunch. A flicker of recognition was sparked, but gone before James could catch it.  
  
Tony took off his jacket as well, and secured the baby with a scarf to his chest. Putting the jacket back on, he lifted one of the boys onto his hip and pulled the jacket around all three of them.  
  
"Now we're like a two-headed monster," he whispered to the boy, whose eyes crinkled but didn't react otherwise.  
  
"Okay Jimmy boy, lead the way."  
  
James picked up the smaller kid first, adjusting him under his coat, and then he lifted the girl, who snuggled under the other front flap as she held the coat closed around the three of them.  
  
The shelter they were headed to was farther away and, as the wind speeds were picking up, the going was even more difficult. It started to snow for real, the wind blowing sheets of harsh, icy snow along, and soon he could barely see a foot ahead of him.  
  
James nearly panicked when he couldn't see or hear Tony behind him anymore. He didn't want to wait too long as his two charges were practically rattling their teeth out with their shivering, but he couldn't just leave a man and two babies to freeze to death out here.  
  
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star," reached his ears through the snow, and Tony came sloshing towards him, him and the boy singing at maximum volume, making something warm glow inside James' chest.  
  
He fell in beside Tony and sang along, prompting his charges to sing as well, as best they could. _Twinkle Twinkle_ turned into _Let It Snow_ , which somehow turned into _Viva Las Vegas_ .  
  
They were all bellowing at the top of their voices when they came to the shelter, where the attendants ushered them in, laughing. One of them suddenly exclaimed, "What happened to you Mr S--" but Tony quickly pulled her aside and had a quiet talk with her. She didn't seem to agree with him, but finally she nodded and took care of the kids.  
  
Tony and James were directed towards the showers and received clean, dry clothes and a toothbrush. Tony adamantly refused to change in company, which meant James could change and shower in private as well -- a huge relief.  
  
The kids had long since nodded off and Tony and him sat opposite each other over hot broth, quietly sipping. Apparently, Tony _was_ capable of silence. A smile tugged at James' mouth, maybe he wasn't such an asshole after all.  
  
Tony cleaned up good, with his long hair combed back and his beard trimmed lumberjack style, he almost looked sophisticated. He needed to eat better, his cheekbones were much too sharp, and James didn't like the haunted look in his eyes.  
  
What the hell was he doing? Rule number one in any guidebook was 'don't get attached'. There was something about Tony, though. He burned with a fire from deep within, temporarily clouded, but _alive,_ still. Just waiting for the right moment, the right opportunity, to flare up once more.  
  
Tony caught him studying him and gave him a showman smile. "Like what you see, sailor?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
This seemed to catch Tony totally off guard. The showman smile disappeared and a blush came in its stead, which then turned into a self deprecating smirk, all lightning quick.  
  
"Yeah, well, you won't for long... They never do." Tony looked away for a moment, but turned his gaze back at James. "Thank you for helping me."  
  
James had the feeling he had seen that intense blue gaze before, in his other life, as a target maybe? But he couldn't wrestle the memory into his consciousness.  
  
Outside the storm had died down, and slowly the first light of the day filtered through the windows. Tony stood up and made to leave.  
  
It went against his rules, but James had to know. "Who are you?"  
  
The other man shrugged and said, "You don't know me, I've just got one of those faces," before turning and walking away.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So, because Wren likes angst with a happy ending I apparently wrote fluff with a sad ending, I don't know what happened here… XD
> 
> But! It is my headcanon that this meeting 1) helped Tony to sober up quicker to start a new company and retake the mantle of iron man, and 2) I believe it helped James when he was rebrainwashed to not kill Tony. 
> 
> Which gives this a happy end in the far future?
> 
>  
> 
> For those unaware of 616 canon: James temporarily escapes Hydra in New York, and Tony one time loses all his belongings to Stane because of his alcoholism. I pretended these coincided...


End file.
